Cargo containers may be used to transport packages and goods on a number of different types of vehicles, such as, for example, planes, trucks, trains, ships, and barges. For example, cargo containers referred to as “unit load devices” or “ULDs,” may be used to transport packages and goods aboard cargo aircraft. Such cargo containers may be efficiently loaded and unloaded from a cargo aircraft. Prior to loading, or after unloading, the cargo containers may be received in cargo areas having respective cargo decks. Some cargo decks have rollers supported by the cargo deck, with the rollers facilitating movement of the cargo containers within the cargo area. In particular, the lower surface of the cargo container is supported by the rollers, which facilitate movement of the containers across the cargo deck by cargo handlers, who simply push the containers across the rollers.
In some cargo operations, the packages and goods are loaded or unloaded from the containers while the containers remain on the cargo deck. Because the rollers facilitate movement of the containers across the deck, the containers may feel unstable while the cargo handlers load and unload the containers, or as the cargo handlers step into or out of the containers. This instability of the cargo containers may lead to inefficiencies in loading and unloading the containers, for example, as other handlers attempt to stabilize the cargo containers while a first handler loads or unloads the cargo from the container, or steps into or from the container.
Attempts have been made to provide devices to prevent unintended movement of the containers on the cargo deck. However, previous attempts may suffer from a number of drawbacks, such as, for example, an inability to sufficiently stabilize the containers, or relatively complex, expensive, or inefficient installations, such as the use of tie-downs, etc. The desire for rapid loading and unloading of containers results in complex arrangements being impractical.
Thus, it may be desirable to provide a system and method for limiting the movement of cargo containers in a cargo area during loading and unloading of the containers. Further, it may be desirable for such systems and methods to be relatively simple, quickly deployable, and/or effective for stabilizing the cargo containers on the cargo deck.